New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-20
SUNDAY EDITION.
FEB. 90, 1887.
KOREA'S ROYAL FAMILY.
A TALK WITH A CHARMING QUEEN.

SEOUL. Korea. Oct 10. 1885
paid q visit to the palace yesterday. anu had ~
interview with the King. Queen, and Prince.
queso .soldierl came from she palace, with an m
yitatIcn which is, in truth. more o command than
request The gate We entered on reaching the
grounds, although not the largo front gate, was pre-
tentious like all the Others it had on tho roof
sloping down to either corner, number Of gro
tesque little images part man and part animal.
THESE are Tod kneeling in all sorts Of postures
ranged in Indian file, and are said to have besu
pIa ,ed there to protect the palace against evil
spirits We left our cnairs at the gate and escorted
by our oueso and two Koreans walked through
what seemed much like our Southern pasture
grounds, with here aud tbere cump Of trees, ana
now and then narrow foot-path, winding away -
some queer. looking building. At last We passed
through q small gate into an inc'osurs. and say
before MS beautiful building on an island In the
midst of a lotus pond. II was what IS called tue
Summer Palace and is said to have bus one
rival all the land. as far as architectural beauty
Is concerned. We wero conducted to tho upper
part of the building where the guests we're
assembled, and found myself IN the presence Of
the King. Queen, and Prince
After ] had made three bows THE required num-
Der in Korca) aud had been introduced. by the
interpreter, to the Royal family the wife OF the
great American OOctOr nay ttutSe hOtcauo vosy
use the first syllable of ones namc) the Queen said
she was glad to me. and was sorry she did nee
see me on my previous VISIT to the palace. She was
also sorry that tho ir vitations had been sent out
80 late. for she did not understand Arnericaa
customs aid she hoped We would excuse her. In
the course of conversation told her that had
baby born in Korea. and that my mother thoushf 1
ought to call her Korea after the country OK her
BIRTH She seemed very much pleased, ana asked u
my baby was we'll told her that she had been
vaccinated and had been fsversh and Ill 10 conse-
auence Then she asked il had all been vaccinated
when so were chd,en. and many other questions
Her Majesty is q delicate-looking little woman
with very glossy black hair. parted In the middle
and done up in loop on the back OF her neck.
She was dressed In dark Korean silk. Qnlitad very
beautifully and she was almost without ornar
ments. She is a perfectly roined lady, easy and
unaffected in her manner She showed great tAct
and skill in conducting the conversation with ~
all. she is not pretty. but has fine eyes and her
face is pleasing.
The King Is fine-looking man. Although ne leo
the Queen do most Of the talking on this occasion.
he would sometimes put word or two ne
seemed g,eatly pleased with his little Queen ana
often laughed at what she said. The Prince Is
nice boy and looked much more healthy than !
expected after what had heard OF him.
The King. Queen and Prince each stood behind
table covered with tapestry rug. and GAMBIA
in silver candlestck. horned before each OF them.
The floor of the room was covered VITA tapestry
carpet from Japan, and that was all the furnitors
I saw In the room. After We had spent some time
talking with her Majesty. she told us that she had
ordered a little foreign food for us, she hoped We
would find il agreeable, but she feared not a. sns
did not understand abont American food.
Va were tLen taken out into the banqueting hall,
where We found DR.. Heron. Judge Denney ana
manv Korean officials and MOBILES. We were seated
at long table. set in foreign fashion. could nos
understand what made every Wand seem -
familiar to me- until l examined more carofuhyi
then discovered that every thing on the tabs had
been made ai.er my own recipes. lnere vas
great ouantty of little cakes that often have for
afternoon tea because they are so very plain and
inexpensive There were doughnuts. too. and many
other evidences OF my own ECONOMY IN COOKING
They did look ont of place In tho palace OF .
King! When the meats and salads began to como on
they were also la Mrs. Heron" and the mystery
was not fully explained until discovered tbe head
OF our old cook peerins through the window and
smiling and bowling to me ia o delighted way.
After dinner we sat on tho balcony and enjoyed
the soft twilight as it crept down from the ton Of
the overhan eing mountains to tho brink OF the
lotus pond. which slept so peacefully under ifs
royal cover of fragrant pink lotuses and Immense
green leaves, which are often two feet in diameter
These lotus blossoms are fit to deck tie palace OF
any King. They are like pond-lilies. only thss
they are much larger than dinner plate They do
not lie on the water 40 pond-iiies do, but stand up
on stems grand and tall above their leaves AZ
We sat there the Korean band dsconrsed strange
wiord music. aud trained dancers gave US their Two
most celebrated pertOrmanees-the butterfly ana
the sword dance. The KOREANS are disninsa
peope and none of tho higher class, would think OF
dancing; they have low-clAss girls and boys -
do their dancing for them. These two dances were
very beautiful The sword dance represeate
warriors fighting to the music. in perfect time Sno
in the most graceful aud animated fasnioa' me
butterfly dance represents the graceful, 1oatne
movements of the butterfly, and the SIX boys vno
took part IN it had butterflies embroidered on snelx
long robes. Their largo flowing sleeves are aoous
n foot and half too long aud are mano OF voV
bright colors, to represent tho butterflies wings
The bovs keep their arms spread out all the ume
thew are dancing or floating about. ana the eject
wonderfully beautiful. After this there was creme
display of fireworks. but we were much 700 nsss
enjoy thom. Presently we said :" good night, snS
With a quad of fifteen soldiers our chairs woC
carried through the dark and deserted streeM =:
each sollier however. carried large. RED oussS
lantern. we had all the light We needed, ano tns
PROCESSION must have made strange picture IN u
midst of the darkness.